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IMPRINT INDIA and RESEARCH PROBLEMS

What is "IMPRINT India"?

It is a joint initiative by pan-IIT and IISc to develop a roadmap for research in India to solve major engineering and  technology challenges in 10 technology domains.

What are the objectives of "IMPRINT India"?

• Identify areas for innovation which are of immediate relevance to society
• Direct scientific research into these identified areas
• Higher funding support for the research
• Measure the outcomes of research

What are the 10 technology domains?

IMPRINT India will focus on 10 themes each coordinated by one IIT/IISc.

• Health care - IIT Kharagpur
• Computer Science - IIT Kharagpur
• Advance Materials - IIT Kanpur
• Water Resources and River Systems - IIT Kanpur
• Sustainable Urban Design - IIT Roorkee
• Defence - IIT Madras
• Manufacturing - IIT Madras
• Nano-technology Hardware - IIT Bombay
• Environmental Science and Climate Change - IISc, Bangalore
• Energy Security - IIT Bombay

What are the challenges in higher education/research

India's Gross Enrolment Ratio is less than the global GER. Quality of teachers is poor 

1. Very few PhDs
2. Very low level PhDs
3. Good number of Indian PhDs from foreign universities do not teach in Indian universities because the  UGC NET exam, which is compulsory for teaching, is seen as a barrier

1. Lack of high standard laboratories, libraries etc.
2. Best students from top institutions like IITs/IIMs are not opting for research in India, rather going abroad
3. Most of the Universities in India still remain as mere teaching institutions without taking to application
4. Competition and qualitative research among universities is poor, except for a few like JNU
5. Private institutions focus more on professional/vocational courses rather than on research
6. Peer reviews mechanism in research is missing in Indian universities

What needs to be done as a follow up?

1. Interaction between industry and university
2. Researches done by universities generally end up without implementation because of too much theoretical orientation or lack of relevance to industry requirements.
3. Signing MoUs with industry is not enough. Funding and implementation should also be taken up
4. Infrastructure and institution building
5. Incentives to research
6. Industrialists should come forward in establishing research oriented universities which can provide better salaries
7. Autonomy should be given to the universities in research